PROCKEDINGS 


OP  THE 

SPECIAL  COMMITTEE 

OF  THE 

OF  THE  CITY  OF  PHILADELPHIA, 
APPOINTED  TO  REPORT  UPON  THE  SUBJECT  OF  THE 

WESTERN  CANAli. 


In  Common  Council,  ) 
December  18th,  1834.  ) 

Resolved,  That  a petition  presented  and  read  this  evening,  praying 
the  attention  of  Councils  to  certain  applications  for  the  incorporation 
of  a company  to  construct  a canal  on  the  west  side  of  the  Schuylkill, 
now  pending  before  the  Legislature,  he  referred  to  a joint  special  com- 
mittee, of  three  members  of  each  Council. 

Common  Council  appointed  Messrs.  CHANDLER, 

BURKE,  and 
CANBY. 

•< 

Select  Council  concurred, 

and  appointed  Messrs.  KEATING, 

PRICE,  and 
EYRE. 

From  the  minutes. 

R.  HARE,  Jun. 

Clerk  Common  Council. 

The  Committee  met  the  24th  December,  1834,  and  continued  their 
meetings  until  the  17th  January,  1835. 

At  a meeting,  held  December  29th,  1834,  they  passed  the  following 
■ resolution: 

Resolved,  That  the  chairman  be  requested  to  invite  any  individual 
who  may  feel  interested;  and  also  to  invite  such  persons  as  he  may  be 
requested  to  invite  by  the  gentlemen  present. 

1 


2 


'b 


Testimony  taken  before  the  Committee. 

JOHN  WHITE. 

lam  engaged  in  the  Coal  trade.  I think  that  the  canal  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river  would  be  a great  accommodation  to  the  trade,  by  giv- 
ing more  room.  The  advantage  of  the  elevation  of  the  canal  would 
facilitate  the  loading  of  vessels — if  vessels  are  ready  to  receive  the  coal 
it  could  be  run  aboard  of  them  at  once — if  they  were  not  ready,  it 
could  be  landed  on  the  flats — if  vessels  are  ready  to  receive  it,  the  coal 
could  be  immediately  put  on  board;  if  not,  it  could  be  landed  on  the 
wharves.  The  expense  of  moving  the  coal  back  and  piling  it,  would  be 
fifteen  cents  per  ton.  To  wheel  it  back  and  load  it  would  be  ten  cents 
a ton — it  would  exceed  that  if  you  pile  it  high.  On  the  west  side  you 
would  run  it  out  without  piling.  If  you  pile  higher  than  eight  feet, 
the  expense  is  increased  very  much — I think  many  kinds  of  coal  would 
lose  ten  cents  a ton  in  every  handling.  There  is  a good  deal  of  deten- 
sion of  the  boats  coming  down  and  going  back. — By  using  this  canal,'  I 
think  it  would  average  a day’s  difference.  A very  few  boats  take  up 
a return  load.  On  the  eastern  side  we  never  land  our  coal  at  low  wa- 
ter, but  are  obliged  to  wait  for  the  tide.  I think  there  would  be  no  de- 
tension on  the  canal — it  would  make  a difference  of  more  than  a day, 
taking  into  consideration  that  they  would  unload  at  all  times  or  hours 
of  the  day.  I do  not  think  that  there  will  be  room  enough  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river  in  a few  years,  if  this  canal  should  not  be  constructed. 
1 speak  only  of  the  city  front  which  is  about  a mile.  One  mile  long, 
fifty  feet  wide,  and  eight  feet  high,  would  contain  only  fifty-two  thou- 
sand eight  hundred  tons  of  coal.  I allow  forty  cubic  feet  to  the  ton.  The 
consumption  and  exportation  of  coal  has  increased  3-3  1-3  per  cent,  upon 
the  preceding  years — 225,000  tons  were  brought  down  this  year,  last 
year  250,000.  I consider  that  the  room  on  the  west  side  will  be  neces- 
sary for  the  trade.  If  further  accommodation  be  not  afforded,  I think 
that  those  concerned  in  the  coal  trade  will  seek  some  other  point.  The 
mouth  of  the  Schuylkill  has  been  talked  of — Hog  Island — League 
Island,  and  below  the  Navy  Yard,  have  also  been  spokenof.  Eldridge  and 
Brick  bought  part  of  Mr.  Girard’s  estate  on  the  Schuylkill  for  this  pur- 
pose. Mr.  Girard  himself  talked  of  making  a large  depot  at  the  mouth 
ot  the  Schuylkill  for  the  coal  trade.  It  would  cost  less  to  unload  from 
the  canal  than  at  the  wharves  on  the  east  side.  The  cost  of  unloading 
is  from  two  and  a quarter  to  three  dollars  a boat.  There  have  not  been 
a great  many  boats  lost  below  the  dam.  I do  not  consider  the  risk  much 
in  taking  a boat  to  the  mouth  of  the  Schuylkill.  Coal  boats  may  an- 
swer in  tide  water,  but  could  not  stand  in  stormy  weather.  It  would 
not  take  more  time  to  take  boats  by  means  of  steamboats  to  the  mouth 
of  Schuylkill,  than  it  now  takes  to  carry  them  to  our  ordinary  wharves. 
I think  a good  depot  might  be  constructed  at  the  mouth  of  the  Schuyl- 
kill. The  great  increase  of  produce  coming  down  will  not  leave  room 
for  the  accommodation  of  coal — there  must  be  some  other  place  provid- 
ed. The  charge  on  the  east  side  now  is  ten  cents  a ton  per  month  for 
the  first  month,  and  five  cents  a month  afterwards.  This  alone  shows 
the  necessity  of  another  depot — for  it  is  a great  tax  on  the  trade,  and 


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indicates  the  propriety  of  seeking  places  of  less  intrinsic  value,  as  coal 
depots;  rents  would  not  be  so  high  on  the  other  side.  I do  not  think  the 
city  would  suffer  any  disadvantage,  if  the  coal  depots  were  at  the  Navy 
Yard,  but  it  would  be  more  expensive  to  the  coal  trade — boats  are  now* 
detained  two  or  three  days  to  cross  the  Schuylkill,  when  the  wind  is 
high. 


JOHN  STODDART. 

I am  concerned  in  the  Coal  trade.  The  canal  would  be  a conve- 
nience in  unloading — the  elevation  would  be  a very  great  advantage. 
There  will  have  to  be  an  increased  quantity  of  wharves.  All  the  wharves 
on  the  east  side  below  the  bridge,  are  occupied.  I consider  that  some 
other  improvement  is  necessary  thr  the  coal  trade.  In  1827,  when  the 
North  American  Company  was,  there  was  but  one  wharf  occupied 
for  coal — that  was  the  second  wharf  below  Walnut  street — that  year 
16  or  18,000  tons  of  coal  came  down.  Two  boats  were  sunk  last  year 
below  the  dam. 


WILLIAM  WALLACE. 

1 am  concerned  in  the  Coal  trade;  am  of  the  firm  of  Blight,  Wallace 
& Co.  In  reference  to  the  trade,  I am  satisfied  that  the  arrangement 
of  the  canal  will  afford  facilities  which  we  have  not  now.  The  first 
advantage  is  the  facility  afforded  to  boatmen  coming  down.  The  freight 
will  be  less  by  the  canal.  I have  found  that  a boatman  will  very  fre- 
quently come  for  a shilling  a ton  less,  when  he  unloads  at  Mr.  Ridg- 
way’s  wharf,  than  when  he  comes  to  the  lower  front  of  the  city — this 
makes  a difference  of  six  or  seven  dollars  in  the  load.  A boat  carries 
about  forty-five  tons.  I think  that  additional  facilities  are  required. 
The  whole  front  between  the  bridge  and  the  Naval  Asylum,  is  occupied. 
The  city  wharves  near  the  bridge  are  not  in  demand  for  coal  wharves, 
as  there  is  not  sufficient  depth  of  water  for  coal  vessels  at  low  tide. 
The  empty  boats  are  delayed  one  or  two  days,  the  expense  of  which 
would  be  five  dollars  per  day.  There  has  been  this  season  a number 
of  boats  sunk  in  the  Schuylkill.  I have  never  heard  of  any  sunk  within 
three  or  four  miles  above  the  dam.  The  average  trip  to  Pottsville  is 
ten  days.  The  average  freight  this  season  has  been  a dollar.  Another 
advantage  of  the  canal  is  the  unloading  of  boats  at  all  times.  Frequently 
it  occurs  that  the  tides  suit  only  in  the  night  season,  which  is  attended 
with  considerable  waste  of  coal.  It  takes  five  or  six  hours  to  unload  a 
boat,  and  the  tide  suits  for  this  purpose  but  about  three  hours.  I have 
known  instances  of  boats  requiring  two  tides; — many  instances  occur  of 
boats  being  left  over  the  next  tide.  The  wharf  rents  are  extravagantly 
high.  The  largest  wharf  in  the  city  could  not  unload  more  than  four 
boats.  The  great  increase  of  produce  coming  down  the  river,  will  not 


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leave  room  for  the  accommodation  of  coal— there  must  be  some  other 
place  provided.  The  charg'e  now  on  the  east  side  is  ten  cents  a ton 
per  month;  that  alone  shows  the  necessity  of  another  depot.  The  ex- 
pense of  landing,  &c.  amounts  to  ten  per  cent.;  this  charge  would  not 
take  place  on  the  west  side. 


EDWARD  H.  GILL. 

I am  an  engineer,  and  acquainted  with  the  contemplated  route  of  the 
canal.  The  canal  will  be  useful  to  the  shippers  in  the  coal  trade. 
Boats  can  be  unloaded  with  great  advantage,  owing  to  their  being  on  a 
level  with,  or  above,  tide  water.  The  proposed  canal  is  to  he  forty-five 
feet  surface,  five  feet  deep,  thirty  feet- at  the  bottom,  and  two  and  a 
half  miles  long.  The  water  which  the  canal  would  contain,  would  be 
91.666  cubic  yards— equal  to  223  locks  full,  of  ten  feet  lift — which  is  the 
average  of  the  locks  atFairmount.  They  are  fourteen  feet  at  low  tide, 
but  this  is  the  average. 

I cannot  answer  exactly  what  would  be  the  evaporation  of  this  canal. 
In  Europe  it  has  been  found  to  be  two  cubic  feet  per  mile  per  minute, 
or  one-tenth  of  an  inch  per  day  in  depth.  Our  climate  is  different,  and 
I should  think  evaporation  would  be  greater  here  than  in  England.  I 
know  the  soil  through  which  this  canal  is  to  pass;  it  is  not  calculated  to 
produce  absorption  more  than  ordinary  canals.  I should  estimate  eva- 
poration and  filtration  at  seventy  cubic  feet  per  mile  per  minute,  for 
the  first  and  second  years,  and  after  that  it  might  be  reduced  to  one-half. 
This  estimation  is  made  upon  ordinary  canalling.  Absorption  depends 
upon  the  nature  of  the  soil,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  canal  is  made. 
Upon  the  New  York  Canal,  it  was  found  that  forty-five  cubic  feet  per 
mile  per  minute  was  lost  upon  123  miles.  3'his  123  miles  of  canal 
passes  through  all  kinds  of  soil,  with  heavy  embankments.  The  soil  here 
is  very  good,  and  I should  not  think  as  much  water  would  be  lost  as  in 
an  ordinary  canal.  It  would  not  be  exposed  to  breaches.  In  relation  to 
evaporation  and  leaking,  from  an  experiment  which  I made,  I found  that 
thirteen  cubic  feet  was  lost  per  mile  per  minute,  in  nine  miles  of  canal.  I 
made  another  on  forty  miles;  there  I found  it  twenty-five  cubic  feet.  On 
the  nine  miles  the  soil  was  very  favourable;  there  was  no  embankment, 
and  the  cutting  deep.  There  is  nothing  better  than  blue  mud.  The  great 
absorption  arises  from  the  embankment.  With  proper  waste  wiers,  the 
water  in  this  canal  would  not  be  more  impure  than  the  water  in  the 
dam.  There  is  no  more  danger  of  the  water  becoming  impure  in  the 
canal,  than  in  the  dam.  The  agitation  produced  by  the  boats  passing, 
would  of  itself  prevent  stagnation.  There  would  be  no  difiiculty  in 
having  docks  from  the  river  constructed 'so  as  to  load  from  the  canal  at 
all  times. 


NATHAN  NATHANS,  Esq. 

I am  engaged  in  the  coal  trade.  I have  turned  my  attention  to  the 


contemplated  canal,  and  think  it  very  essential  that  some  improvement 
should  be  made  to  afford  more  facilities  to  the  shippers  of  coal.  I do 
not  think  that  there  is  room  enough  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  even 
for  the  present  trade  of  the  Schuylkill.  My  present  impression  is,  that 
unless  further  facilities  are  afforded,  the  coal  trade  will  pass  to  some 
point  where  more  facilities  will  attend  it,  than  do  on  the  east  side  of  the 
river.  I think  it  highly  probable  that  it  will  pass  to  the  mouth  of  the 
■Schuylkill  or  to  League  Island.  The  canal,  from  the  advantages  of  its 
elevation,  together  with  the  room  on  the  west  side,  would  keep  the 
trade  here.  I think  that  this  canal  would  decrease  the  expense  from 
thirty-five  to  forty  cents  per  ton — in  this  I do  not  include  the  charge 
on  the  canal ; breakage  of  coal  would  be  avoided  by  schutes  and  screens 
with  scales  attached ; all  coal  intended  for  shipping  would  be  on  the 
west  side  ; it  would  only  be  beneficial  to  the  shipping  trade.  When  the 
coal  is  passed  over  the  screen  it  could  be  passed  immediately  into  the 
vessel — it  could  be  screened  as  it  passed  into  the  vessel,  and  all  the 
breakage  and  loss  from  shovelling  avoided.  On  the  east  side  there  is  no 
possibility  of  screening  the  coal  except  by  hand.  It  is  the  general 
usage  of  the  trade  that  coal  shall  be  screened  before  it  is  shipped.  Of 
the  coal  shipped,  not  one  twentieth  is  put  from  the  boats  into  the  vessel 
— perhaps  not  one  twenty-fifth  part.  The  trade  is  becoming  more  par- 
ticular than  formerly.  If  I had  an  order  to  ship,  I should  not  consider 
it  fair  to  pass  it  fiom  the  boat  into  the  vessel. 

The  whole  toll  on  the  Schuylkill  Canal  is  about  ninety-three  cents, 
from  Pottsville  to  Fairmount — being  about  one  cent  per  ton  per  mile. 
I should  think  this  canal  would  pay  an  interest  by  taking  the  same  pro- 
portion as  on  the  Schuylkill  Canal.  In  my  estimate  of  saving  by  this 
canal,  I have  considered  one  day  saved  in  going  back, — I think  it  would 
average  more.  Opening  of  new  streets  on  the  east  side  injure  the 
wharves.  Since  I have  been  in  business,  three  years,  I have  lost  two 
boats  below  the  dam.  On  one  occasion  there  was  a storm,  and  the 
boat  was  sunk  at  the  wharf — the  other  was  lost  in  the  same  way. 
There  is  some  danger  in  high  winds  to  boats  going  down  the  river; 
but  I think  there  is  more  danger  at  the  wharf.  Boats  are  detained  in 
consequence  of  their  waiting  for  their  turns  at  the  wharf.  On  the 
canal  there  would  be  more  room  and  greater  facilities.  I have  known 
empty  boats  to  be  detained  three  days  from  getting  up  to  the  locks.  It 
requires  high  water  to  unload  on  the  east  side,  and  although  tide  locks 
might  be  made,  yet  I do  not  think  you  could  get  the  owners  of  wharves 
to  make  them.  They  would  cost,  perhaps,  ten  thousand  dollars.  Boats 
might  be  made  to  be  safe  on  tide  water,  but  they  will  carry  less  coal, 
and  ihis  would  raise  the  price  of  freights.  I do  not  think  that  if  the 
foreign  coal  trade  were  carried  on  from  the  west  side  of  the  river,  any 
of  those  who  are  concerned  in  it  would  remove  to  the  west  side  of  the 
river,  except  laborers  and  boatmen.  The  captains  and  agents  would 
continue  to  live  on  this  side  of  the  river.  At  first,  the  canal  would  de- 
crease the  price  of  wharves  on  the  east  side — at  present  they  call  for 
very  high  rents.  The  increased  consumption  of  coal  in  the  city  and 
other  trade,  will  require  all  the  eastern  side  of  the  city*.  A very  small 
proportion  of  coal  boats  take  freight  back— all  they  take  is  plaister. 


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salt,  &c.  along  the  line  of  the  canal.  Olten,  for  want  of  room,  vessels 
cannot  be  got  for  shipping — this  affects  the  trade,  for  it  makes  freight 
higher.  I have  known  freights  to  l^oston  to  rise  fifty  cents  in  a week. 
Shippers  are  much  prc'judiced  by  not  being  able  to  load  vessels  prompt- 
ly. If  the  canal  were  extended  all  the  way  to  the  mouth  of  Schuylkill, 
I would  prefer  doing  business  opposite  to  the  city — it  could  not  be  carr 
ried  on  below  with  more  advantages  than  on  the  west  side  of  the  Schuyl- 
kill. I could  not  carry  on  this  trade  to  advantage  if  I resided  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Schuylkill.  If  it  were  on  the  west  side,  opposite  the  city, 
the  expense  of  going  there  would  be  a trifle — need  not  keep  a gig — 
there  are  omnibuses  at  every  hour.  The  subscription  to  the  omnibus 
is  five  dollars  per  quarter.  At  present  there  is  a business  of  bituminous 
coal  and  iron.  The  Lycoming  company  is  located  on  the  west  branch 
of  the  Susquehanna.  There  will  be  an  extensive  business  carried  on, 
which  will  require  in  the  city  additional  facilities.  Large  quantities  of 
limestone  are  burnt  in  the  city,  and  sent  abroad.  I am  under  the  im- 
pression that  the  Boudinot  lands  are  in  the  coal  region.  In  this  canal 
the  city  of  Philadelphia  is  interested,  because  they  are  the  owners  of 
the  Girard  coal  lands.  We  consider  the  coal  when  landed,  to  cost  about 
four  dollars  per  ton — consequently  the  saving  by  this  canal,  would  be 
about  forty  cents,  or  ten  per  cent.,  and  be  of  itself  a handsome  profit — 
one  with  which  the  coal  dealers  would  be  satisfied.  I would  be  con- 
tented to  do  business  with  the  advantage  which  this  canal  would  aflord 
without  any  other  profit. 


WILLIAM  T.  SMITH,  Esq. 

I am  well  acquainted  with  the  blue  mud  of  the  meadows — it  is  about 
as  impervious  to  water  as  any  kind  of  soil — I think  that  there  is  very 
litlle  if  any  leakage  at  all.  I have  considered  the  subject  of  this  canal. 
There  has  never  occurred  to  me  any  disadvantage  from  it  to  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  nor  have  I heard  any  suggested  by  any  body  that  had 
the  least  weight.  I should  think  that  whatever  tended  to  increase  the 
trade  of  the  Schuylkill  was  beneficial  to  the  city.  By  the  ship  building 
at  Kensington  the  city  is  benefitted.  I do  not  think  a canal  could  be 
advantageously  made  from  Gray’s  Ferry  to  the  mouth  of  the  Schuylkill. 
I have  known  them  go  down  the  blue  mud  as  deep  as  fifty  feet.  It  would 
be  very  difficult  to  construct  a canal  below  Gray’s  Ferry.  I would  not 
consider  the  continuance  of  the  canal  on  the  west  side  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Schuylkill,  a reasonable  project.  I will  not  say  that  it  would  not 
be  suggested  by  a sane  mind — but  it  certainly  would  not  be  suggested 
by  a prudent  mind.  The  surface  of  the  meadow  ground  below,  levels 
four  feet  below  high  water  mark. 


DAVID  M’CLURE. 

A number  of  experiments  have  been  made  on  the  evaporation  of 


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water,  by  Deluc  (Sl  Dalton.  The  latter  published  a table  of  evapora- 
tion (in  the  fifth  volume  of  the  Manchester  Society’s  Transactions,)  in 
different  temperatures.  The  lower  medium  is  ^ grain  to 

every  28j  superficial  inches,  and  the  higher  aboutL^y^ths.  My  calcu- 
lation is  founded  on  The  evaporation  per  foot  would  be  5,340,000 

ounces — 445,500  pounds  in  twenty-four  hours,  5,346  cubic  feet,  mak- 
ing 40,095  gallons  evaporation  in  the  whole  canal  in  twenty-four  hours. 
Our  brick  kilns  will  retain  water  a long  time.  The  soil  is  of  an  ungueous 
material.  This  soil  strikes  me  as  a clayey  soil.  At  the  Permanent 
Bridge  there  is  a high  bluff  and  some  gravel.  1 made  a report  to  Coun- 
cils about  three  j^^ars  ago,  containing  an  account  of  the  soil.  I was 
once  consulted  by  somebody  as  to  League  Island  for  a depot  for  coal. 
They  were  anxious  to  ascertain  how  Broad  street  continued  would 
strike  it.  I found  that  it  did  come  out  there.  I would  suggest  to  the 
committee  that  they  would  select  men  of  science,  and  submit  to  them 
all  the  inquiries  necessary.  I do  not  think  it  enough  that  the  water 
should  be  agitated  by  the  boats  to  keep  it  pure — but  if  it  ran  over  at 
the  end  of  the  canal,  and  also  at  a waste  wier,  it  would  be  pure. 


EBENEZER  MITCHELL. 

I have  been  engaged  in  running  boats  from  Pottsville,  for  the  Dela- 
ware Coal  Company.  When  the  wind  blows  high  Irom  the  west,  you 
cannot  get  down  from  the  locks  at  all  in  one  trip.  I was  kept  two 
days — -one  at  Fairmount,  and  one  coming  down  below  Market  street 
Bridge  and  Mulberry  street.  I never  lost  a boat,  but  was  very  near 
it.  I have  known  a good  many  boats  sink  this  side  of  the  dam — as  many 
as  six  or  eight  during  the  two  years  I have  been  engaged.  They  could 
not  have  been  navigated  to  the  mouth  of  Schuylkill.  It  is  difficult  to 
cross  the  river ; you  cannot  pole  it,  it  is  so  deep.  I have  known  boats  to 
be  detained  three  or  four  days  at  a time — there  was  no  possibility  of 
getting  out.  I have  known  of  boats  lost  when  fastened  to  the  wharf. 
Going  through  this  canal  would  make  two  days  difference  in  a trip. 
There  are  three  hands  to  a boat.  They  cost  from  three  to  five  hundred 
dollars. 

The  price  of  a horse  from  Pottsville  to  Philadelphia  and  back  is  nine 
dollars — I had  two  boats  last  season,  and  made  21  trips  with  one  boat, 
and  19  with  the  other. 


WILLIAM  WRIGHT. 

I have  followed  boating  on  the  Schuylkill  four  seasons.  There  is  a 
great  deal  of  inconvenience  in  coming  down  this  side,  from  winds  and  tides, 
and  frequently  the  boats  catch  on  the  wharves,  and  from  the  motion  of 
the  tides  sink.  In  the  four  seasons  that  I have  been  engaged,  I have 
heard  of  half  a score  of  boats  being  lost,  and  I have  myself  known  of 


8 


three.  In  coming  down  to  the  wharves  and  going  up  to  the  locks,  the 
average  time  would  be  two  and  a half  days — I have  gone  in  six  hours, 
and  have  been  detained  four  days — it  depends  altogether  upon  the 
winds  and  tides.  I have  lain  three  days  after  unloading,  owing  to 
the  wind — this  has  occurred  several  times.  I have  been  driven  down 
from  Walnut  street  as  far  as  South  street  many  a time,  trying  to  cross. 
I was  several  times  delayed  three  days  after  I had  unloaded — I have 
been  delayed  five  days  even  when  the  wind  is  still— it  is  too  high  to  go 
over  the  river.  It  takes  from  four  to  four  and  a half  hours  to  unload  a 
boat  with  four  men.  It  would  take  us  about  an  hour  to  go  down  the 
canal.  We  used  to  pay  two  dollars  for  unloading.  We  now  pay  from 
three  dollars  to  three  and  a half  to  unload  a boat — this  season  I have 
paid  three  and  a half — the  fair  price  is  three  dollars.  Before  we  un- 
load, the  tide  must  run  up  about  two  hours.  A great  deal  of  the  coal 
falls  into  the  docks,  which  is  lost  to  the  coal  dealer.  High  floods  and 
accidents  produce  fluctuations  in  the  number  of  boats,  sometimes  great 
accumulations — at  other  times  few  arrive.  I have  seen  more  than  one 
hundred  boats  lying  at  the  wdiarves  at  one  time.  What  we  don’t  eat 
on  board  is  thrown  overboard. — There  is  a penalty  for  throwing  into 
the  canal — on  the  canal  we  would  throw  these  things  on  the  ground. 
Last  season  I picked  up  out  of  the  dock,  for  the  North  American  Com- 
pany, about  seventy  tons  of  coal.  I was  paid  for  it  $l  50  per  ton — the 
Company  found  the  dredge  and  line.  I have  made  sixteen  trips  this  sea- 
son— I began  the  middle  of  June,  and  continued  till  three  weeks  since. 
I take  back  very  little  merchandise.  This  season  freights  were  on  an 
average,  one  dollar — they  were  not  higher  than  one  and  a quarter.  Tw^o 
years  ago,  in  1832,  they  were  ^2  75.  As  much  as  ^3  75  was  paid  that 
year — they  seemed  to  say  that  the  Cholera  had  an  eflfect  on  it. 


JOHN  C.  MARLL. 

I am  engaged  in  the  shipping  of  coal.  The  most  material  advantage 
of  the  canal,  is  having  high  water  all  the  time  for  the  loading  of  boats. 
Such  facilities  are  wanted  for  the  trade.  We  found  great  difficulty 
when  vessels  are  scarce  for  want  of  room  to  deposit  the  coal ; when  they 
are  plenty,  we  find  no  difficulty— the  advantage  is  very  great  to  have 
coal  on  hand.  Want  of  room  raises  freight.  I have  not  made  a calcu- 
lation of  the  saving  by  the  eanal — the  mere  stacking  would  be  12j 
cents. 


GEORGE  PATTERSON. 

I reside  at  Pottsville,  and  am  concerned  in  the  coal  business.  The 
first  advantage  of  the  canal  will  be  to  enable  boatmen  to  come  down 
without  having  to  wait  for  the  tide.  I have  shipped  a good  deal  of  coal, 
and  boatmen  mostly  make  a condition  as  to  the  time  they  are  to  remain. 


9 


Tiiey  frequently  object  to  going  to  certain  wharves,  where  they  can- 
not discharge  quickly — all  these  things  enter  into  the  charge  for  freight. 
Another  advantage  would  be,  that  the  boats  would  be  high,  and  the 
coal  would  descend;  coal  is  a very  heavy  article — there  is  a considera- 
ble waste  when  it  is  necessary  to  raise  coal.  Boatmen  allow  two  or 
three  days  waiting  for  tides— they  seldom  can  unload  with  one  tide — 
they  now  hire  hands  to  unload — on  the  canal  I think  they  would  un- 
load themselves.  With  this  canal  from  forty  to  fifty  cents  a ton  would 
be  saved,  besides  the  waste  of  coal  from  numerous  handlings.  Boats  are 
often  injured  by  settling  at  one  end — by  tides  falling  before  the  unload- 
ing is  completed.  I saw  a boat  nearly  ruined  by  being  caught  in  a 
wharf  during  tide.  A boat  of  mine  went  as  far  as  Mount  Holly,  with 
fifty  tons;  but  I consider  that  it  was  unsafe,  and  I would  not  have  al- 
lowed her  to  go,  had  I known  it.  I think  that  this  canal  is  necessary. 
Next  year  we  shall  send  down  300,000  tons — in  the  course  of  five  years 
I believe  there  will  come  to  Philadelphia  a million  tons.  It  takes  three 
men  from  sunrise  to  sunset  to  unload  a boat  of  fifty  tons.  I have  paid 
62^  cents  a ton  for  wharfage  for  six  months.  I have  never  heard  the 
canal  at  Pottsville  complained  of,  on  account  of  improper  substances 
thrown  into  it.  It  has  never  been  a nuisance. 


JOHN  HEMPHILL. 

I am  not  in  the  coal  trade.  I have  frequently  thought  of  this  canal, 
and  thought  very  favourably  of  it.  I think  it  will  be  a general  benefit. 
Perhaps  the  wharf  owners  on  this  side  might  think  it  a disadvantage  to 
them,  but  it  will  be  a general  benefit.  If  the  marshes  on  the  west  side 
were  filled  up,  and  made  solid  ground,  it  would  improve  the  health  of 
the  neighbourhood.  There  is  a great  quantity  of  earth  back  of  the 
alms  house,  which  will  have  to  be  removed— the  meadows  would  be  a 
very  proper  place  of  deposit  for  it — it  would  be  used  to  fill  up;  it  is  gra- 
vel and  clay. 

I am  one  of  the  managers  of  the  alms  house.  I think  the  canal  would 
benefit  that  property,  and  add  very  much  to  its  value.  I do  not  know 
how  it  would  affect  property  above  the  bridge— have  not  turned  my 
attention  to  it.  I speak  as  an  individual,  not  as  a member.  The  sense 
of  the  Board  of  Managers  has  not  been  taken  upon  the  subject.  The 
canal  would  pass  over  the  culverts— it  is  sufficiently  high  for  that  pur- 
pose. The  culvert  of  the  alms  house  now  enters  into  the  ditches.  A 
sheet  of  three  or  four  inches  of  water  passing  over  the  canal  would  keep 
it  pure;  perhaps  the  movement  of  the  boats  alone  would  do  it.  I do 
not  say  that  it  would  depreciate  the  wharves  on  the  east  side.  I think 
the  time  is  not  far  distant,  when  the  wharves  on  this  side  will  all  be 
wanted  for  other  more  valuable  purposes  than  coal.  I think  every  faci- 
lity should  be  given  to  the  trade.  I do  not  think  that  the  canal  would 
draw  away  the  population  from  this  side. — It  will  cause  a population 
and  business  on  the  other,  but  it  by  no  means  follows  that  the  popula- 
tion must  be  taken  from  the  city.  I do  not  see  any  injurious  consequen- 

2 


{0 


CCS  of  any  kind  from  this  canal  to  the  alms  house,  either  to  its  pecuniai  j 
value,  or  health,  or  discipline. — Its  being  cut  otf  by  the  canal  would  be 
an  advantage,  in  separating  the  population.  Making  League  Island  a 
depot,  would  be  of  no  advantage  to  Philadelphia. 


GEORGE  VV.  BLIGHT. 


I am  concerned  in  the  coal  trade.  I have  viewed  this  canal  as  a de- 
sirable thing,  furnishing  many  advantages  to  the  trade— more  room  and 
more  accessible  at  all  times.  My  impression  is  that  next  year  will 
show  that  the  city  front  will  not  afford  sufficient  accommodation,  1 
have  not  thought  that  the  horse  shoe  canal  will  be  of  any  practical  use 
for  the  purposes  of  shipping.  Our  wharf  is  80  feet  front,  with  docks  on 
both  sides,  which  gives  115  feet  altogether.  It  is  80  feet  in  the  river, 
and  near  300  feet  deep  back — it  is  150  feet  wide.  This  year  we  com- 
menced in  June,  and  got  down  between  five  and  six  thousand  tons,  and 
last  year,  upwards  of  eight  thousand  tons.  I suppose  that  ten  thousand 
tons  might  be  shipped  from  our  wharf.  All  concerned  exclusively  in 
the  foreign  trade,  would  go  over  to  the  canal — one  third  of  ours,  (that  is 
Blight,  Wallace  & Go’s.)  is  city  business.  There  would  be  enough  of 
other  business  to  occupy  the  coal  wharves  that  would  be  vacated  on 
this  side.  The  small  vessels  that  could  pass  through  the  horse-shoe  ca- 
nal, will  go  out  of  use— large  vessels  only  will  be  used — we  now  use 
vessels  of  200  tons,  and  those  of  250  tons  have  come  up  the  Schuylkill. 
Without  making  any  calculation,  I think  in  the  handling  alone  of  the 
coal,  from  twenty  to  thirty  cents  a ton  would  be  saved  by  the  canal, 
merely  on  one  or  two  handlings  and  waste.  I do  not  speak  of  the  loss  of 
time,  and  the  expense  of  men  and  boats,  as  the  trade  is  now  carried 
on.  The  consumption  of  coal  between  the  mines  and  this  place,  w^as 
about  70,000.  The  whole  consumption  of  the  city  would  be  about  1-3 
— about  30  per  cent,  of  the  whole  quantity  is  the  city  proportion.  I 
should  think  it  would  cost  more  to  take  it  to  League  Island. 


LETTER  FROM  ENOCH  LEWIS,  ESQ.  ENGINEER, 

To  the  Chairman  of  the  Co7mnittee, 

Philadelphia,  Imo.  17,  1835. 

Jos.  R.  Chandler,  Esq. 

As  I w^as  requested  to  attend  the  committee  of  the  Councils  appointed 
to  inquire  into  the  consequences  which  may  be  expected  to  result  from 
the  proposed  canal  on  the  w^est  side  of  Schuylkill,  but  did  not  receive 
the  notice  in  time,  I offer  to  the  committee  a few  hastly  observations 
in  writing. 

1.  1 conceive  that  if  the  canal  is  ever  to  be  made,  it  ought  unques- 
tionably to  be  done  as  soon  as  practicable. — The  improvements  which 
are  to  be  expected  on  the  western  side  of  t„he  river  must  interfere  with, 


11 


or  be  interfered  with,  by  the  canal,  and  the  longer  it  is  delayed,  the 
greater  must  be  the  difficulty  and  damage  encountered  and  sustained. 

2.  My  opinion  is,  that  the  improvements  which  have  been  made,  and 
those  in  progress,  must  in  a few  years  cause  a great  increase  in  the 
trade  of  the  Schuylkill,  and  probably  amount  to  as  much  as  the  water 
in  the  upper  parts  of  the  river  can  convey.  This  trade  will  demand 
facilities  which  the  present  improvements  do  not  furnish — the  demand 
for  coal  must  increase,  and  as  the  supply  is  immense  in  those  districts 
which  are  connected  or  connecting  with  the  Schuylkill,  there  can  be 
no  reason  to  doubt  that  the  quantity  shipped  from  this  city  wall  become 
incalculably  great.  This  trade  and  the  wealth  flowing  from  it  must 
increase  with  the  facilities  afforded  to  it.  Now  I conceive  this  canal 
offers  advantages  peculiar  to  itself,  as  it  must  run  at  no  great  distance 
from  the  river,  and  yet  far  enough  to  admit  of  docks  opening  into 
the  river  being  made  so  near  the  canal  that  boats  lying  in  the  latter 
may  be  unloaded  at  once  into  vessels  lying  in  the  dock.  The  water 
in  the  canal  being  preserved  at  a uniform  level,  and  docks  being  fur- 
nished as  they  might  easily  be,  wdth  gates,  by  which  the  water  could 
be  shut  in  or  shut  out  at  any  stage  of  the  tide,  the  vessel  could  be  al- 
ways kept  at  a constant  level,  any  where  between  high  and  low  w^ater 
elevation — thence  machinery  could  be  brought  to  supply  the  place  of 
manual  force,  in  transferring  the  load  from  the  canal  to  the  river,  or  if 
manual  strength  should  be  resorted  to,  the  advantage  of  constant  ele- 
vation in  one  or  both  the  vessels  is  too  obvious  to  require  illustration. 

3.  The  water  saved  in  case  the  demands  of  the  city  and  those  of  the 
Navigation  Company  should  interfere  must  be  very  great.  It  is  true 
the  surface  of  water  exposed  to  evaporation  would  be  increased,  but  as 
the  small  streams  flowing  through  the  alms  house  property,  and  even 
Mill  creek  could,  if  required,  be  thrown  into  the  canal,  we  have  the 
means  of  increasing  the  supply  in  the  case  of  the  very  improbable  event 
of  a scarcity.  It  is  therefore  useless  to  enter  into  calculations  respect- 
ing the  quantity  lost  by  evaporation,  '^i'he  canal  w'ould  contain  about 
tw^enty  millions  of  gallons;  100  boats  ascending,  and  as  many  separately 
descending  through  the  locks,  would  require  about  sixteen  millions. 
This  number  when  the  trade  is  active,  may  probably  pass  in  24  hours. 
The  locks  would  therefore,  in  30  hours,  when  the  trade  is  active,  carry 
off  the  canal  full  of  water — that  is  to  say,  more  than  would  be  lost  by 
evaporation  and  filtration  in  a year.  I surveyed  the  alms  house  pro- 
perty, and  though  the  project  of  a canal  did  not  occur  to  me,  I think  I 
know  something  of  the  ground,  and  apprehend  the  water  lost  by  filtra- 
tion must  be  inconsiderable.  Indeed  the  interests  of  those  who  should 
erect  warehouses  on  the  river  edge  of  the  canal  would  require  that  the 
canal  should  be  rendered  nearly  if  not  totally  water  tight.  Hence  lit- 
tle water  could  be  lost  in  that  way. 

But  a very  important  consideration  to  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia  is, 
that  if  the  canal  should  not  be  made,  a depot  for  coal,  and  the  neces- 
sary appendages  of  ware  houses  and  dwellings,  with  all  their  filth,  must 
be  made  exactly  where  the  citizens  are  most  interested  to  keep  the 
water  as  pure  as  possible.  I mean  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  just 
above  Fairmount  dam.  I can  hardly  conceive  any  thing  likely  to  oc- 


12 


cur  more  objectionable 'than  such  a growth  as  I have  intimated,  just 
where  the  water  is  taken  out  to  supply  the  tables  of  the  city — a deli- 
cate stomach  would  almost  turn  at  the  reflection  of  the  consequence  to 
allow  the  water  at  Fairmount  to  be  spoiled.  An  attempt  to  bring  it  from 
another  place  further  up  is  quite  too  Utopean  for  the  sober  people  of 
Philadelphia.  The  water  is  now  at  Fairmount  good  and  pure — the 
city  is  rapidly  increasing,  and  to  preserve  a supply  of  good  water  it  is 
only  necessary  to  prevent  the  water  at  Fairmount  from  receiving  any 
adventitious  mixtures— in  other  words,  to  send  the  trade  of  the  Schuyl- 
kill down  below  the  dam. 

4.  The  alms  house  property  possesses  a river  front  of  not  less  than 
4000  feet — a large  tract  of  marsh  land  lies  along  it.  In  case  the  canal 
w^as  made,  all  this  front  would  become  valuable — the  marsh  must  be  re- 
claimed, and  the  income  from  the  rent  of  wharves  and  other  append- 
ages of  the  canal  must  greatly  increase  the  funds  of  that  institution.  To 
obtain  this  addition  to  the  funds,  they  have  merely  to  allow  the  canal 
to  be  made — the  improvements  would  follow  of  course. 

5.  The  coal  and  other  articles  intended  to  supply  the  city,  would  still 
come  down  through  the  locks,  and  be  landed  on  the  east  side  of  the  ri- 
ver, the  value  of  property  there  would  of  course  be  kept  up— the  heal- 
thiness of  both  sides  must  be  increased  by  reclaiming  the  marshes  on  the 
west.  An  active  commerce  on  the  west  side  would  not  fail  to  give  ac- 
tivity to  the  east,  even  if  it  had  not  the  broad  city  on  its  back.  But 
the  west  cannot  possibly  take  the  business  of  the  city — that  must  pre- 
serve its  natural  connection. 

Respectfully,  E.  LEWIS. 


Letler  from  John  K.  Mitchell,  M.  D.,  to  the  Chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee. 

Jos.  R.  Chandler,  Esq.  Chairman  of  the  Committee,  &c. 

Sir, 

In  consequence  of  unavoidable  engagements,  I was  prevented. from 
complying  with  the  request  to  attend  the  sittings  of  the  Committee  of 
Councils,  on  the  subject  of  a Canal  from  Fairmount  Dam  to  the  Wood- 
lands. Lest  a great  improvement  or  individual  interests  should  be  in- 
jured by  my  absence,  even  in  the  slightest  degree,  1 beg  leave  to  state 
my  opinions  on  two  or  three  leading  points,  which  have  been  made  the 
subject  of  interrogatories. 

First.  As  to  the  probable  effect  on  the  health  of  the  vicinity.  Canals 
brought  through  a dry  district,  far  from  water  courses,  usually  though 
not  always,  bring  with  them  diseases  incident  to  the  margins  of  rivers, 
and  the  inhabitants,  being  totally  unprepared  by  habit  for  resisting 
such  a novel  influence,  suffer  often  for  a season  or  two,  under  distress- 
ing maladies.  Canals  along  the  course  of  rivers,  or  through  watery 
districts,  more  frequently  remove  than  increase  fluvial  diseases, — 


13 


They  act  as  drains,  and,  in  some  cases,  as  in  tlie  vicinity  of  cities,  lead 
to  the  recovery  of  the  marshes  which  lie  between  them  and  the  natural 
water  courses.  It  seems  obvious  that  the  projected  canal  will  obliterate 
the  western  mud  bottoms  of  the  Schuylkill,  and  draw  into  a running 
clear  channel  the  waste  waters  of  the  neighbourhood. 

I am  therefore,  decidedly  of  opinion,  that  the  Western  Canal,  if  exe- 
cuted, will  not  injure  the  health  of  the  neighbourhood. 

Secondly.  Already  the  apprehension  of  a failure  of  the  supply  of  water 
for  city  use  and  canal  navigation,  has  led  to  a suggestion,  that  it  will  be 
necessary  to  raise  Fairmount  Dam  at  least  eighteen  inches  higher  than 
at  present.  Such  an  alteration  of  level  must  necessarily  flood  very 
considerable  districts  of  low'  lying  lands,  which,  in  the  event  of  a scar- 
city of  water,  must  be  inevitably  laid  bare  by  the  demands  of  the  city, 
and  the  wants  of  the  Schuylkill  Navigation  Company.  The  effect  of 
such  a change  need  not  be  intimated  to  you.  Canals  and  basins  con- 
nected with  the  dam,  being  mere  enlargements  of  it,  with  perpendicular 
sides,  cannot,  in  the  event  of  a subsidence  of  the  w^atcr  level,  expose 
any  flats  to  the  action  of  sun  and  air,  and  will  therefore  not  produce 
any  local  disadvantage.  But  as  the  heightening  of  the  dam,  and  the 
descent  of  all  the  river  boats,  cannot  fail,  in  a very  few  years,  to  make 
bare  large  marshes  along  the  river,  the  committee  have  to  reflect  on 
the  effect  of  such  a change  on  the  health  not  only  of  the  country  people, 
but  the  boatmen  and  canal  oflicers,  by  which  possibly  much  of  the 
value  of  that  channel  of  communication  may  be  compromitted. 

Thirdly.  As  the  healthfulness  of  Philadelphia,  its  superiority  as 
a residence,  and  its  security  against  extensive  conflagrations,  de- 
pend mainly  on  a full  supply  of  Schuylkill  water,  the  citizens  look 
with  great  solicitude  to  any  project  likely  to  put  it  in  danger  of 
loss  or  diminution.  Now  every  reflecting  person  must  preceive 
that  the  natural  increase  in  the  trade  of  the  river  must  very  soon 
arrest,  in  the  summer,  the  revolutions  of  the  w'ater  wheels  at  Fair- 
mount.  Only  three  methods  of  avoiding  this  evil  present  themselves. 
One  is,  to  buy  out  the  whole  right  of  the  Schuylkill  Navigation  Compa- 
ny, and  unload  every  boat  above  the  dam.  The  effect  of  that  measure 
on  the  purity  of  the  water,  may  be  readily  conceived,  even  if  the  cost 
could  be  encountered. 

Another  mode  is  presented  in  the  elevation  of  the  dam,  the  flooding 
of  vast  tracts  of  low  land,  and  their  subsequent  exposure  to  our  sum- 
mer sun,  with  all  the  consequences  to  health,  trade,  and  purity  of 
the  water. 

The  last  method  is  that  suggested  for  your  present  consideration,  by 
which  health  will  not  be  injured,  water  will  not  be  wasted,  and  the 
purity  of  our  excellent  beverage  maintained  by  enclosing  the  boats  in  a 
canal  below  the  dam,  where  their  conductors  cannot  defile  that  which 
is  drawn  off  for  city  use. 

As  I am  entirely  uninterested,  in  any  pecuniary  manner  whatever, 
in  the  improvements  near  Schuylkill,  1 may  be  permitted,  as  a citizen, 
to  say,  that  I deem  it  utterly  impossible  for  the  city  to  finally  avoid  the 
extension  of  the  water  level  of  the  dam,  at  whatever  cost,  along  both 
banks  of  the  river.  We  have  to  expect  not  only  a mighty  trade  down 


14 


and  up  the  river,  but  such  a vast  accession  of  people,  and  manufacto- 
ries, as  to  task  the  waters  of  the  Schuylkill  to  their  utmost.  Then, 
when  a scarcity  begins  to  be  felt,  and  health  is  beginning  to  suffer,  the 
method  now  proposed  must,  as  the  only  feasible  one,  be  executed  at  the 
cost  of  the  corporation,  however  great  that  cost  may  be. 


J.  K.  MITCHELL, 
120  South  Eight  street. 

January  14/A,  1835. 


Mr.  Chandler  presented  the  annexed  report  to  the  Common  Council, 
which  was  laid  on  the  table. 

The  joint  special  committee,  to  whom  was  referred  the  memorial  of 
sundry  citizens,  asking  that  Councils  would  investigate  the  subject  of  a 
canal  on  the  west  side  of  Schuylkill,  from  Fairmount  to  Mill  Creek,  near 
Gray’s  Ferry,  beg  leave  to 

REPORT: 

That  in  compliance  with  the  spirit  of  the  memorial,  your  committee 
gave  notice  of  their  readiness  to  hear  what  could  be  advanced  as  evi- 
dence, that  the  proposed  canal  would  not  be  at  variance  with  the  city’s 
prosperity;  and  our  fellow  citizens,  Thomas  Kittera  and  Thomas  Mitch- 
ell, Esqs.  the  former  as  counsel  for  the  applicants,  and  the  latter  as  one 
desirous  of  the  measure,  attended  the  meetings  of  the  committee,  and 
took  part  in  the  proceedings. 

Your  committee,  after  hearing  for  three  evenings,  testimony  from 
gentlemen  introduced  by  the  friends  of  the  proposed  canal,  have  come 
to  the  conclusion,  founded  as  well  upon  the  testimony  adduced,  as  from 
a knowledge  of  the  yet  unimproved  capabilities  of  the  western  front  of 
the  city  to  accommodate  additional  trade,  and  upon  an  appreciation  of 
the  expenditures,  to  the  public  and  private,  already  made  for  future 
operations,  as  also  upon  the  claims  wTich  the  water  works  have  upon 
the  jealous  regard  of  these  Councils,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Councils 
not  to  change  the  course  which  ^hey  have  pursued,  with  reference  to 
the  proposed  canal.  And  they  therefore  offer  the  following  resolution: 

Resolved,  That  the  committee  be  discharged  from  a further  consi- 
deration of  the  subject. 

JOSEPH  R.  CHANDLER, 
MERRIT  CANBY, 

RICHARD  PRICE, 

JAMES  BURK. 


The  following  was  presented,  together  with  the  testimony  taken  be- 
fore the  committee,  by  the  minority. 

The  undersigned,  constituting  the  minority  of  the  joint  committee  of 
the  Select  and  Common  Councils,  appointed  on  the  18th  ult.,  to  inves- 
tigate the  merits  of  the  application  to  the  Legislature  for  the  incorpo- 
ration of  a company  to  construct  a canal  on  the  west  side  of  the 


15 

Schuylkill,  from  Fairmount  to  Mill  Creek,  beg  leave  to  submit  their 
views  in  relation  to  it. 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  committee,  at  the  request  of  various 
persons  interested  in  this  work,  and  on  the  motion  of  one  of  the  com- 
mittee, leave  was  granted  to  all  persons  feeling  an  interest  in  the  scheme, 
to  submit  their  views  in  relation  thereto;  and  every  facility  was  given 
to  the  receiving  of  evidence,  either  for  or  against  the  work. 

Much  valuable  information  was  derived  from  persons  connected  with 
the  trade  on  the  Schuylkill,  and  acquainted  with  the  character  of  the 
projected  improvement,  and  tlie  result  of  it  has  been  on  the  minds  of 
the  undersigned,  a conviction  that  the  work  is  one  calculated  greatly 
to  promote  the  interests  of  the  trade  of  Philadelphia,  and  thereby  to 
advance  the  prosperity  of  our  city.  They  are  also  of  opinion  that  these 
results  can  be  obtained  without  jeoparding  in  the  least  the  great  inte- 
rest which  we  all  feel  in  the  secinity  of  our  water  works,  as  to  either 
the  abundance  or  the  purity  of  their  supply  from  the  Schuylkill.  And 
they  believe  that  this  scheme  can  be  carried  into  execution  without 
materially  interfering  with  any  of  the  real  interests  of  the  city. 

In  order  to  appreciate  the  importance  of  this  project,  it  will  be  well 
to  bear  in  mind  that  the  trade  on  the  Schuylkill  front  of  the  city,  was, 
so  late  as  the  year  1825,  confined  to  a few  unimportant  objects,  em- 
ploying only  vessels  of  the  smallest  size,  and  requiring  very  little  wharf 
accommodation;  but  that,  since  that  period,  a trade,  amounting  already 
to  upwards  of  400,000  tons  annually,  has  been  created.  Large  as  this 
may  appear,  it  is  but  the  forerunner  of  that  which  our  city  will  soon 
command,  provided  a judicious  foresight  prepares  the  way  for  it,  by 
affording  to  it  accommodations  commensurate  with  its  growing  magni- 
tude and  importance.  An  examination  of  the  progressive  increase  of 
the  trade,  shows  that  (with  two  temporary  exceptions  only,  resulting 
from  those  vicissitudes  to  which  all  commercial  communities  are  liable) 
the  increase  in  the  latter  years  has  been  much  greater  than  in  the  first 
years  of  this  series.  The  whole  of  our  wharves  applicable  to  the  pur- 
poses of  shipment,  are  now  in  demand,  and  the  rents  which  some  of 
them  yield,  would,  a few  years  since,  have  been  deemed  incredible. 

The  objects  which  are  brought  down  the  Schuylkill,  are  of  the  most 
bulky  nature,  and  require  extensive  accommodations,  while  their  low 
price  and  small  intrinsic  value,  render  it  desirable  that  they  should  be 
subjected  to  as  small  a tax  for  wharfage,  storage,  &c.  as  possible. 

The  evidence  submitted  to  the  committee,  establishes  the  fact,  that 
the  coal  trade,  which  now  constitutes  somewhat  more  than  half  the 
business  done  on  the  Schuylkill,  is  subjected  to  very  serious  obstructions, 
such  as  are  avoided  by  companies  that  ship  their  coal  from  depots  si- 
tuated elsewhere  than  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  The  transfer  of  coal 
from  canal  boats  to  the  wharf,  by  the  Lehigh  Coal  Company  at  Bristol, 
and  by  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Company  at  Rondout,  is  effected 
with  great  ease;  boats  unload  in  a canal  or  basin  at  all  hours,  with 
every  advantage  of  low  wharves,  and  security  against  accidents. 

On  the  Schuylkill  the  case  is  otherwise;  they  are  brought  down  into 
tide  water,  and  hauled  along  side  of  elevated  wharves,  constructed  for 
the  high  tides  of  that  river.  This  circumstance  limits  the  unloading  to 


16 


a few  hours,  probably  not  more  than  three  in  each  tide;  and  owners  de- 
sirous of  unloading  two  boats  in  twenty-four  hours,  at  the  same  place, 
can  effect  this  object  only  by  having  the  work  done  at  night,  with  all 
the  objections  to  which  night  work  is  liable.  From  this  cause,  boats  are 
often  delayed  from  one  to  five  days;  the  crews  disperse,  and  the  opera- 
tion of  unloading,  which  elsewhere  is  done  by  the  boat’s  crew,  is  here 
entrusted  to  a separate  class  of  workmen,  who  charge  a high  price  for 
their  labour.  Their  charge  usually  amounting  to  three  dollars  per  boat, 
(averaging  forty-five  tons,)  or  about  6 2-3  cents  per  ton,  would  be  rea- 
dily saved,  could  the  crew  of  the  boat  unload  immediately  on  their  ar- 
rival, as  they  do  elsewhere.  The  arrangement  of  our  wharves  on  the 
Schuylkill  is  unfavourai)le  to  the  screening  and  handling  of  coal,  prior 
to  shipment.  It  is  easy  to  conceive  that  a more  favourable  disposition 
could  be  obtained  by  means  of  a canal  elevated  six  feet  above  tide  wa- 
ter, as  proposed  by  the  petitioners;  the  effect  of  which  would  be  to  facili- 
tate the  screening  of  coal  on  permanent  screens,  and  to  avoid  at  least 
one,  and  in  some  cases  two,  handlings  of  the  coal,  and  all  the  waste  by 
breakage  incident  upon  the  same.  Each  handling  of  coal  may  be  esti- 
mated at  from  eight  to  ten  cents,  and  the  waste  at  about  ten  cents  per 
ton. 

The  freight  from  Pottsville  to  Philadelphia,  last  year,  averaged  about 
one  dollar  per  ton,  assuming  twelve  days  as  the  duration  of  a trip,  and 
the  average  detension  on  the  Schuylkill,  below  Fairmount  dam,  to  be 
about  two  days,  (which  estimates  accord  with  the  evidence  of  compe- 
tent and  respectable  witnesses,)  it  follows  that  on  a load  of  forty-five 
tons  of  coal,  during  the  last  year,  the  boat’s  crew  earned  at  the  rate  of 
^3  75  per  day;  and  that  an  improvement  calculated  to  reduce  the 
length  of  the  trip  by  two  days,  would  have  effected  a reduction  of 
freights  of  about  $1  50  per  boat  load,  or  about  seventeen  cents  per 
ton.  If  the  trip  were  performed  in  ten  days,  as  stated  in  evidence,  the 
daily  earning  would  be  $4  50,  and  the  saving  twenty  cents  per  ton. 
At  present  the  boats  lie  in  the  river,  and  are  exposed  to  considerable 
injury,  and  some  risk,  from  the  fluctuations  of  tide,  and  from  the  heavy 
swells  on  the  Scliuylkill  during  stormy  weather.  Abundant  proof  exists 
that  boats  have  been  sunk  between  Fairmount  dam  and  the  city  wharves; 
and  in  some  cases,  even  those  that  were  fastened  to  wharves,  have  been 
endangered  by  occasional  high  tides,  and  south-westerly  storms,  or  by 
heavy  floods  in  the  river. 

From  all  these  facts,  the  committee  conclude  that  the  reduction  of 
charges  on  the  coal  trade,  which  would  result  from  the  execution  of 
such  a canal,  w'ould  be  equivalent,  as  has  been  stated  in  evidence,  to 
from  forty  to  fifty  cents  per  (on,  while  the  facilities  which  it  would  give 
for  the  expansion  of  the  trade,  would  be  very  greatly  enhanced. 

That  this  result  is  a desirable  one,  will  sufficiently  appear  when  we 
consider  the  very  uncertain  character  6f  that  trade,  now  in  its  infancy, 
but  which,  if  duly  favored,  is  destined  to  impart  to  our  state  a degree 
of  wealth  and  importance  unequalled  by  any  state  in  the  Union.  And 
it  behooves  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia,  seriously  to  reflect  upon  the 
fact,  that  by  the  industry  and  enterprise  of  our  neighbours,  two  of  the 
three  lar^e  der)ots  of  Anthracite  coal  in  Pennsylvanici  are  now  made  to 


17 


pour  their  wealth  directly  into  the  city  of  New  York.  Short  as  has 
been  the  period  since  the  first  application  of  mining  to  the  large  depots 
of  Pennsylvania,  we  have  already  witnessed  the  order  of  nature  evi- 
dently twice  made  to  yield  to  the  enterprise  of  man,  and  the  product 
of  our  State  diverted  from  its  natural  channel  to  a new  one. 

The  valleys  of  the  Lackawanna  and  of  the  Lehigh,  which  at  one 
time  were  thought  to  be  the  unalienable,  as  they  were  the  natural,  tri- 
butaries of  the  Delaware,  are  now  sending  their  produce  directly  to 
New  York.  The  coal  of  the  former  crosses  the  Delaware  at  Carpen- 
ter’s Point,  to  seek  a distant  market;  and  that  of  the  Lehigh,  crossing 
the  same  stream  at  Easton,  or  at  a lower  point,  will,  by  means  of  the 
Morris  Canal,  but  especially  of  the  Delaware  and  Raritan^  Canal,  seek 
a foreign  market.  While  our  citizens  are  lulled  into  security,  our 
neighbors  have  been  active^  in  executing  works,  by  which  nearly  one- 
half  of  the  coal  of  Pennsylvania  will  pass  away  forever  from  our  mar- 
kets to  theirs.  It  is  true,  we  have  it  in  our  power  to  check  their  ope- 
rations, and  to  promote  the  success  of  our  own  commerce.  We  may,  by 
increasing  the  facilities  of  the  Schuylkill  trade,  and  reducing  the  charges 
upon  it,  bring  the  coal  of  the  Schuylkill  into  market,  on  more  favoura- 
ble terms  than  those  upon  which  the  New  York  merchants  can  receive 
that  of  other  depots  by  their  canals;  and  it  is  unquestionably  the  inte- 
rest of  the  city  of  Philadelphia  to  do  so,  if  she  values  the  extensive 
coasting  trade,  and  the  influx  of  foreign  capital  which  the  produce  of 
Schuylkill  county  can  be  made  to  procure  for  her. 

The  undersigned  are  further  of  opinionj'that  as  soon  as  the  trade  upon 
the  Pennsylvania  canals  shall  have  been  created,  as  it  must  very  soon 
be,  the  demand  for  wharf  accommodations  on  the  Schuylkill,  for  depots 
of  grain  and  country  produce,  will  be  immense.  The  increase  from 
this  source  alone,  in  the  ensuing  ten  years,  will  probably  surpass,  cer- 
tainly equal,  that  which  w^e  have  witnessed  from  the  coal  trade,  in  the 
last  ten  years.  If  the  twenty-two  millions  of  dollars  which  the  state 
has  invested  in  her  public  works,  and  the  five  millions  expended  by  the 
Union  Canal  Company,  and  by  the  Schuylkill  Navigation  Company,  are 
ever  to  yield,  as  we  doubt  not  they  will  soon  do,  ample  fruits,  it  must 
be  by  carrying  upon  the  Schuylkill  a trade  of  immense  extent,  requiring 
the  most  expanded  accommodations.  Already  we  have  witnessed  the 
existing  warehouses  on  that  river  crowded  with  goods,  destined  for  the 
interior,  and  with  the  return  cargoes  of  flour,  grain,  &c.  If,  moreover, 
we  consider,  that  all  the  Schuylkill  coal  required  for  the  city  consump- 
tion, must  always  be  landed  on  this  side  of  the  river,  we  need  entertain 
no  apprehension  that  the  execution  of  the  canal  on  the  west  side  will 
materially  affect  the  value  of  our  city  front  on  the  Schuylkill. 

We  will  not  pause  to  inquire  into  the  direct  advantages  which  the 
city  might  derive  from  this  increased  facility  to  the  coal  trade,  arising 
out  of  the  large  and  valuable  tracts  of  anthracite  and  bituminous  coal 
lands  bequeathed  to  her  by  Stephen  Girard,  and  Elias  Boudinot;  but 
we  will  call  the  attention  of  Councils  to  the  great  value  which  the 
new  almshouse  property  on  the  west  side  of  the  Schuylkill  would  ac- 
quire. It  is  in’  evidence  before  the  committee,  that  the  front  of  that 
property  on  the  Schuylkill  could  be  immediately  converted  into  depots 

3 


18 


for  the  shipping  of  coal,  producing  a large  income  to  the  city,  if  rented, 
or  greatly  reducing  the  amount  of  debt  on  that  property,  if  sold. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind,  that  the  city  proper  has  a large  interest, 
say  from  one-half  to  two-thirds,  in  the  property  and  debts  of  the  corpo- 
ration of  the  Guardians  of  the  Poor;  that  the  expense  of  erecting  the 
new  almshouse,  including  the  purchase  of  the  land,  does  not  fall  much 
short  of  one  million  of  dollars;  and  that  the  tax  upon  the  city  for  the 
support  of  the  poor,  now  rises  as  high  as  thirty-four  cents  in  the  one  hun- 
dred dollars.  The  projected  canal  would  pass  through  this  property, 
for  a distance  of  not  less  than  4,000  feet,  enabling  the  city  to  relieve  it- 
self, by  its  advanced  value,  from  a very  heavy  burthen. 

Indeed,  the  advantages  which  would  result  to  the  city  from  the  ex- 
ecution of  this  work,  appear  to  us  so  direct  and  palpable,  that  nothing 
but  a well  grounded  apprehension  that  they  might  be  accompanied  by 
other  consequences  of  an  injurious  character,  can  justify  an  opposition 
to  it  on  the  part  of  the  city. 

The  objections  which  have  been  raised  to  it  are, 

1st.  Its  effect  upon  the  Water  Works  at  Fairmount. 

2d.  Its  injurious  tendency  as  regards  the  health  of  the  country. 

3d.  The  withdrawal  of  a portion  of  the  inhabitants  from  the  city  to 
West  Philadelphia. 

4th.  The  reduction  in  the  value  of  our  wharf  property  on  the  Schuyl- 
kill. This  last  objection  we  have  already  expressed  our  belief  is  un- 
founded. 

The  first  of  these  would,  undoubtedly,  be  the  most  serious,  if  it  were 
well  founded;  but  in  the  opinion  of  the  undersigned,  there  is  no  reason- 
able ground  for  apprehension. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  reduction  in  the  waters  of  the  Schuylkill, 
occasioned  by  the  construction  of  this  canal,  would  endanger  the  supply 
of  the  city.  If  this  opinion  had  not  been  advanced  by  gentlemen  of 
known  experience  and  judgment,  the  undersigned  would  scarcely  have 
credited  that  such  an  apprehension  could  he  entertained;  and  even  now, 
with  great  deference  to  the  judgment  of  others,  they  can  scarcely  for- 
bear viewing  it  as  one  of  the  evidences  of  that  nervousness  with  which 
every  thing  connected  with  the  Fairmount  Water  Works  is  usually  con- 
sidered. Assuming  the  canal  to  be  two  and  a half  miles  long,  thirty 
feet  wide  at  the  bottom,with  a water  surface  of  forty-five  feet,and  adepth 
of  five  feet,  it  will  be  found  that  its  capacity  is  equal  to  2,475,000  cu- 
bic feet,  and  that  its  surface  is  594,000  square  feet.  The  locks  of  the 
Schuylkill  Navigation  Company,  at  Fairmount,  are  eighty  feet  long,  nine 
feet  lift,  and  their  width  is  in  one  lock  fourteen  feet,  in  the  other  seven- 
teen feet,  giving  for  the  average  capacity  of  the  locks,  1 1,160  cubic  feet. 
So  that  the  whole  capacity  of  the  canal  would  fall  short  of  222  locks 
full  of  water. 

It  was  proved  before  the  committee,  by  the  evidence  of  an  experi- 
enced engineer  in  the  service  of  the  Navigation  Company,  that  it  is  a 
large  allowance  to  suppose  that  the  loss  of  water  in  the  canal  by  leak- 
age and  evaporation,  would,  after  the  second  year  from  its  completion, 
amount  to  forty-five  cubic  feet  per  minute  per  mile.  At  this  rate,  the 
total  loss  by  leakage  and  evaporation,  daily,  on  the  whole  canal;' would 


19 


uc  id^jOOO  cubic  feet,  or  less  than  fifteen  locks  full  daily;  and  it  would 
require  upwards  of  fifteen  days  for  the  water  to  waste  away,  if  no  ad- 
ditional supply  were  introduced.  This  is  taken  from  the  experience 
upon  123  miles  or  more  on  the  New  York  canal.  On  the  Ohio  canal 
two  experiments  made  by  this  Engineer,  the  one  on  nine,  the  other  on 
forty  miles,  gave  for  the  results  a loss  of  thirteen  cubic  feet  in  the  first, 
and  of  twenty-five  cubic  feet  in  the  second  per  minuie  per  mile;  which 
would  greatly  reduce  the  danger  of  waste  of  water  from  the  making  of 
this  work. 

But  even  admitting  the  largest  loss  which  we  have  heard  of,  that 
which  took  place  on  the  long  levels,  with  extensive  embankments,  of 
the  New  York  canal,  during  the  first  year  or  two  after  its  being  opened, 
and  before  it  might  be  said  to  be  perfected,  even  then  the  loss  is  far  from 
considerable.  In  this  extreme  case  it  is  stated  at  70  cubic  feet  per  mi- 
nute per  mile;  which  would  amount  on  the  projected  canal  to  252,000 
cubic  feet  per  day,  equivalent  to  less  than  23  locks  full,  and  requiring  near 
ten  days  for  the  canal  to  empty  itself  entirely  by  this  means,  if  all  ac- 
cess of  water  were  stopped.  A short  calculation  from  these  data  proves 
that  even  at  this  extreme  rate  of  loss,  the  total  consumption  of  water  by 
evaporation  and  leakage  would  during  the  whole  season  of  navigation, 
scarcely  exceed  half  the  amount  of  water  now  consumed  for  lockage, 
even  admitting  that  the  arrangements  of  business  were  such  that  every 
chamber  full  of  water,  that  is  now  wasted,  passed  two  boats,  one  ascend- 
ing and  the  other  descending.  According  to  the  evidence  submitted  by 
a gentleman  of  scientific  acquirements,  who  was  examined  before  the 
committee,  the  whole  daily  evaporation  on  two  and  a half  miles  of  the 
Canal,  taken  at  the  maximum  of  the  results  recorded  by  philosophers, 
would  be  only  half  the  capacity  of  one  of  the  chambers  of  the  locks  at 
Fairmourit— a result  so  small,  that  after  making  the  largest  allowances 
for  difiei  cnces  of  climate  or  errors  of  experimenters,  the  quantity  is 
scarcely  deserving  of  notice.  The  evidence  of  persons,  familiar  with 
the  ground  over  which  the  canal  would  pass,  clearly  establishes,  that, 
with  due  care,  a very  good  and  water  tight  work  can  be  constructed. 
The  blue  clay  which  is  found  on  part,  if  not  on  the  whole  of  the  line,  is 
declared  by  competent  judges  to  be  almost  impervious  to  water;  wher- 
ever the  canal  passes  through  it,  no  leakage  could  take  place  ; and 
where  it  does  not  occur,  it  could  be  readily  brought  to  the  spot  so  as  to 
make  the  work  water-tight.  But  it  is  easy  to  secure  ourselves  against 
all  losses  by  introducing  a clause  in  the  Bill,  directing  that  gates  should 
he  placed  at  Fairmount,  under  the  control  of  an  officer  appointed  by  the 
City,  to  be  closed  whenever  a scarcity  of  water  in  the  Fairmount  dam, 
or  the  leaky  condition  of  the  canal  below,  would  produce  an  apprehen- 
sion of  an  insufficient  supply  for  the  City  Water  Works.  To  this  and 
other  salutary  restrictions  it  is  understood  that  the  applicants  would 
cheerfully  assent. 

It  has  been  urged  that  this  work  might  impair  the  purity  of  the 
Schuylkill  Water.  It  is  difficult  toconceive  how  the  water  above  Fair- 
mount  Dam,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Schuylkill  could  be  effected  by  the 
operations  of  a coal  trade  on  a Canal  two  miles  below  the  dam  on  the 
west  side.  The  opponents  of  the  work  have  chosen  to  place  themselves 


20 


upon  the  horns  of  a dilemma  on  which  \\c  will  leave  them.  Either  the 
canal  will  be  tight,  in  which  case  there  will  be  no  waste  of  water,  or  if 
it  be  leaky  so  as  to  endanger  the  supply  of  the  City,  the  water  in  the 
canal  cannot  form  the  stagnant  pool  which  it  has  been  represented  to 
be.  The  flow  through  the  canal  can  always  be  regulated  by  the  City 
Authorities,  and  unless  there  were  a returning  tide  from  the  lower  to 
the  upper  part  of  the  canal,  which  is  impossible,  the  impurities  which 
would  arise  from  the  occupation  of  it  by  boats  could  not  be  carried 
back  to  the  wheels  at  Fairmount.  It  is.  however,  easy  to  foresee  that 
if  facilities  are  not  given  to  the  Coal  Trade  to  establish  itself  on  the 
Schuylkill  below  the  dam,  it  will  occupy  the  pool  itself  above  Fairmount, 
and  contaminate  the  waters  at  that  spot.  By  means  of  the  Penn  Town- 
ship Rail  Road,  coal  landed  at  this  place  can  be  shipped  with  little  ex- 
pense on  the  Delaware;  and  by  other  schemes  now  in  agitation,  it  may 
from  the  same  spot  be  taken  by  Rail  Road  to  landings  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Schuylkill,  where  it  might  without  any  manual  labour  be  screened 
and  transferred  from  the  cars  to  the  vessels  engaged  in  the  coasting 
trade.  How  far  either  of  these  outlets  to  the  Coal  Trade  may  be 
opened  before  long,  the  undersigned  will  not  venture  to  decide;  but  they 
will  express  their  Arm  conviction  that  in  either  case,  the  accumulation 
of  filth  in  the  pool  above  Fairmount  would  seriously  affect  the  charac- 
ter of  the  water  used  by  our  citizens. 

2d.  The  injurious  tendency  of  the  canal  on  the  west  side  of  the  Schuyl- 
kill upon  the  healthof  the  vicinity,  has  been  urged  with  great  zeal;  but,  in 
the  opinion  of  the  undersigned,  with  more  speciousness  than  truth.  They 
are  inclined  to  adopt  the  opinion  of  an  experienced  physician  of  our 
city,  that  the  canal  would,  if  properly  constructed,  rather  be  salutary 
than  otherwise,  as  it  would  act  as  a drain,  and  lead  to  the  recovery  of 
the  marshes  that  lie  on  the  west  side  of  the  Schuylkill.  As  soon  as  the 
canal  is  made,  those  marshes  will  be  reclaimed;  the  river  embanked; 
and  what  is  now  a source  of  miasmata  will  be  converted  into  an  active 
scene  of  health  and  business.  As  attempts  have  be<;n  made  to  create 
an  impression  that  the  sewer  from  the  Almshouse  would  discharge  its 
contents  into  the  canal,  the  undersigned  deem  it  proper  to  state  that  the 
nature  of  the  ground  would  forbid  the  execution  of  such  a scheme,  if 
other  causes  did  not  operate  against  so  repulsive  a thought.  The  sewer 
of  the  Almshouse  will  pass  several  feet  under  the  bottom  of  the  canal. 
It  would  be  arched  over  and  entirely  concealed  from  sight. 

3d.  The  withdrawal  of  a portion  of  the  population  of  the  city  to  the 
vicinity  of  the  canal  has  been  alleged  as  one  of  the  evils  to  flow  trom 
this  work.  The  undersigned  do  not  view  it  as  likely  to  produce  such 
a result.  The  business  on  this  side  of  the  Schuylkill  will  always  be 
active,  and  require  the  labour  of  the  same  population  that  now  works 
there.  A new  irfipulse  would  be  given  to  the  trade  of  the  city,  and  any 
increase  of  population  required  by  West  Philadelphia  will  be  drawn 
from  other  sources.  At  any  rate,  the  traders  in  coal  will  always  find 
it  desirable  for  them  to  reside  in  the  city,  near  to  the  centre  of  commer- 
cial transactions.  The  canal  will  only  attract  the  class  of  persons  ac- 
tually engaged  in  handling  the  coal.  If  the  canal  be  not  made,  the 
same  population  will  be  required  in  Spring  Garden  and  Penn  Township 


21 


or  at  the  mouth  of  the  Schuylkill ; and  the  undersigned  cannot  discover 
how  the  circumstance  of  their  being  in  West  Philadelphia  would  im- 
pair the  prosperity  of  the  city  proper.  The  latter  may  be  considered 
as  the  heart,  the  former  as  the  limbs,  and' whatever  produces  a healthy 
growth  and  thriving  at  the  extremities,  must  always  promote  strength 
and  healthy  action  at  the  centre. 

The  undersigned  have  thus  attempted  to  consider  the  advantages  and 
disadvantages  ascribed  to  this  scheme.  They  may  be  mistaken  in  their 
views,  but  the  result  of  a long  acquaintance  with  the  Schuylkill  trade, 
and  of  a laborious  investigation  of  this  subject,  is,  that  the  proposed 
s scheme  is  one  which,  far  from  militating  with  the  real  interests  of  the 
city  will  advance  them ; that  is  a work  called  for  by  the  present  exi- 
gencies of  the  coal  trade  ; that  if  it  be  not  executed  now,  other  schemes 
less  beneficial  to  the  city  will  prosper  at  its  expense  ; but  that  this  work 
sooner  or  later,  must  and  will  be  done;  that  it  is  essential  to  the  pros- 
^ perity  of  Philadelphia,  as  well  as  to  that  of  the  state  at  large.  They 
regret  that  the  votes  of  Councils,  both  during  the  last  and  present 
session  of  the  Legislature,  indicate  an  opposition  to  this  scheme ; they 
respectfully  suggest  that  the  voice  of  the  city  should  be  heard  as  seldom 
as  possible  in  the  councils  of  tlfe  state  in  opposition  to  the  great  interests 
of  the  commonwealth.  This  opposition'  should  be  reserved  for  cases 
alone  which  are  of  vital  importance  to  the  city.  Such  a case  they  be- 
lieve does  not  now  present^  itself.  As  the  majorit}^  of  the  committee 
have  not  deemed  it  expedient  to  report  the  information  submitted  to 
them,  the  undersigned  have  annexed  what,  after  comparison  with  their 
own  notes,  they  believe  to  be  an  accurate  statement  of  the  evidence, 
with  two  written  communications.  They  report  them  in  order  that  any 
member  of  Council  desirous  to  do  so,  may  have  an  opportunity  to  exa- 
mine them  for  himself. 

(Signed)  WM.  H.  KEATING, 

MANUEL  EYRE. 


January  22,  1835. 


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